Friday, April 23, 2010

Deputies Make 3rd Arrest In Insurance Fraud Scam

UPDATE: Deputies arrested a 31-year-old man Thursday in connection with an insurance fraud scam, culminating an undercover Collier County Sheriff’s Office investigation that led to the arrests of two people last year.

Deputies located Joshua Sanders, 11816 Forest Mere Drive, Bonita Springs, around 4:30 p.m. in North Naples and arrested him on an active CCSO warrant charging him with filing false or fraudulent insurance claims.

Deputies say Sanders was one of two men who sold a 2003 silver Corvette to an undercover CCSO deputy in exchange for $4,000 in June 2009. The Corvette was later reported stolen to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and an insurance claim was filed on the vehicle.

Here are earlier news releases on CCSO’s investigation into this insurance fraud:

Posted 9/18/2009Man Sought For Questioning

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help in locating a 31-year-old man wanted for questioning in connection with an insurance fraud investigation involving a Corvette.

Detectives with CCSO’s Financial Crimes Bureau would like to speak to Joshua Daniel Sanders, 11816 Forest Mere Drive, Bonita Springs, in connection with their investigation.

Anyone with information on Sanders’ whereabouts is asked to call the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at 252-9300. Or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.

Posted 8/21/2009Auto Insurance Scam Nets 2nd Arrest

UPDATE: A second person has been arrested in connection with an undercover Collier County Sheriff’s Office investigation into auto insurance fraud that resulted in the arrest of a Hillsborough County woman earlier this month.

Deputies say Weaver sold a 2003 silver Corvette to an undercover CCSO deputy in exchange for $4,000 on June 19. Weaver told the deputy the owner wanted the Corvette to "disappear," sheriff's reports said.

Marsha Lynn Saxton, 53, of Pinellas Park, reported the Corvette stolen to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office on June 22, the same day she filed a claim with her insurance company. The value of the Corvette was determined to be $24,000.

Saxton was arrested Aug. 7 and charged with insurance fraud $20,000 to $100,000.

Weaver was arrested Friday at the Hillsborough County jail, where he was being held on unrelated charges. A hold was placed by CCSO to have Weaver transported to Collier County.

SUMMARY: Saxton was arrested in connection with an undercover Collier County Sheriff’s Office investigation into auto insurance fraud.

Arrest reports gave this account:

Detectives with CCSO’s Auto Theft Unit received information in May that someone was trying to get rid of a Corvette as part of an insurance fraud.

An undercover CCSO detective met with the seller and learned that Saxton, who lived in Hillsborough County, wanted her 2003 silver Corvette to “disappear.” The seller told the detective that he would sell him the Corvette for $4,000 and that Saxton would then report the vehicle stolen.

The seller explained that it would be up to the detective to dispose of the Corvette. The seller told the detective that Saxton needed to report the Corvette as stolen in order to collect the auto insurance money.

On June 19, the undercover deputy met with the seller and another man at an undisclosed location, where the deputy purchased the Corvette from the two men.

Minutes earlier, CCSO deputies stationed at a nearby location watched as Saxton drove up in the Corvette, got out of the car and handed the keys to the seller and the other man, who then drove the Corvette to the prearranged meeting with the undercover detective.

The men told the detective to drive the Corvette to another location and to bring the car keys back to them because the owner needed to have possession of the keys when the car is reported stolen.

The undercover detective then drove the Corvette to the CCSO impound garage and returned the keys to the sellers.

Saxton reported the Corvette stolen to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office on June 22, the same day she file a claim with her insurance company. The value of the Corvette was determined to be $24,000.

The investigation continues and more arrests are pending, said Lt. Chad Parker, head of CCSO’s Financial Crimes Bureau.

Parker said the case is a collaborative effort among CCSO, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Farm Insurance Co., National Insurance Crime Bureau, and Florida Division of Insurance Fraud.